Bengkulu City
Encyclopedia
Bengkulu is a city on the west coast of Sumatra
in Indonesia
. With a population of 340,000 (2007), the city is the capital and largest city of Bengkulu
province
.
in western Java
. It was a major producer of pepper
.
In 1682, a troup of the Dutch East India Company
attacked Banten. The crown prince, who had headed the government submitted to the Dutch, recognized him as Sultan. The Dutchman expelled all other Europeans present in Banten. As a result the British withdrew and the British East India Company
founded Bengkulu as a commercial establishment (named Bencoolen) in 1685.
In 1714, the British built Fort Marlborough. However, it was never financially viable, because of its remoteness and the difficulty in procuring pepper. Despite these difficulties, the British
persisted, maintaining the presence there for 150 years before ceding it to the Dutch
as part of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824
to focus attention on Malacca
. Like the rest of present-day Indonesia, Bengkulu remained a Dutch colony until after World War II
.
During Sukarno
's imprisonment by the Dutch in the 1930s, the future first president of Indonesia lived briefly in Bengkulu. Here he met his wife, Fatmawati
, who gave him several children, the most famous being the first female President of Indonesia, Megawati Sukarnoputri
.
Bengkulu lies near the Sunda Fault and is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis. In June 2000 a quake caused damage and the death of at least 100 people. A recent report predicts that Bengkulu is "at risk of inundation over the next few decades from undersea earthquakes predicted along the coast of Sumatra"A series of earthquakes struck Bengkulu during September, 2007, killing 13 people. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/world/asia/15quake.html?ex=1347508800&en=e8aad74057996e2a&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
In this town lies the only state university in the province of Bengkulu, the Universitas
Bengkulu (UNIB). Many students from different areas of neighboring provinces have studied here.
. The Tabot is an opportunity for a grand procession, accompanied by songs and dances performed by young girls.
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. With a population of 340,000 (2007), the city is the capital and largest city of Bengkulu
Bengkulu
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is on the southwest coast of the island of Sumatra, and borders the provinces of West Sumatra, Jambi, South Sumatra and Lampung. The capital and largest city is Bengkulu city. It was formerly the site of a British garrison, which they called Bencoolen...
province
Provinces of Indonesia
The province is the highest tier of local government subnational entity in Indonesia. Each province has its own local government, headed by a governor, and has its own legislative body...
.
History
In the seventeenth century, the Lampung region of southern Sumatra was under the possession of the kingdom of BantenBanten
Banten is a province of Indonesia in Java. Formerly part of the Province of West Java, it was made a separate province in 2000.The administrative center is Serang. Preliminary results from the 2010 census counted some 10.6 million people.-Geography:...
in western Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
. It was a major producer of pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
.
In 1682, a troup of the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
attacked Banten. The crown prince, who had headed the government submitted to the Dutch, recognized him as Sultan. The Dutchman expelled all other Europeans present in Banten. As a result the British withdrew and the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
founded Bengkulu as a commercial establishment (named Bencoolen) in 1685.
In 1714, the British built Fort Marlborough. However, it was never financially viable, because of its remoteness and the difficulty in procuring pepper. Despite these difficulties, the British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
persisted, maintaining the presence there for 150 years before ceding it to the Dutch
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
as part of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824
Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824
The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, also known as the Treaty of London, was a treaty signed between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in London on 17 March 1824. The treaty was to resolve disputes arising from the execution of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814...
to focus attention on Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
. Like the rest of present-day Indonesia, Bengkulu remained a Dutch colony until after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
During Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
's imprisonment by the Dutch in the 1930s, the future first president of Indonesia lived briefly in Bengkulu. Here he met his wife, Fatmawati
Fatmawati
Fatmawati is a National Hero of Indonesia . As the first Indonesian First Lady, She was the third wife of Sukarno, the first president of Indonesia, and the mother of the first female president. She constructed the first flag flown by Indonesia.-Life:Fatmawati was born on 5 February 1923 in...
, who gave him several children, the most famous being the first female President of Indonesia, Megawati Sukarnoputri
Megawati Sukarnoputri
In this Indonesian name, the name "Sukarnoputri" is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name "Megawati"....
.
Bengkulu lies near the Sunda Fault and is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis. In June 2000 a quake caused damage and the death of at least 100 people. A recent report predicts that Bengkulu is "at risk of inundation over the next few decades from undersea earthquakes predicted along the coast of Sumatra"A series of earthquakes struck Bengkulu during September, 2007, killing 13 people. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/world/asia/15quake.html?ex=1347508800&en=e8aad74057996e2a&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
In this town lies the only state university in the province of Bengkulu, the Universitas
Universitas
Universitas is a Latin word meaning "the whole, total; the universe, the world". It may refer to:*Universitas 21, an international network of research-intensive universities....
Bengkulu (UNIB). Many students from different areas of neighboring provinces have studied here.
Culture
Each year, in the Muslim month of Muharam, Bengkulu hosts the ceremony Tabot. The two centuries old ritual was made by artisans from Madras in India for the construction of Fort Marlborough. It celebrates the martyrdom of Imam Shiite Hussein's death at the Battle of KarbalaBattle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
. The Tabot is an opportunity for a grand procession, accompanied by songs and dances performed by young girls.